St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery in New York is said to be haunted by the spirit of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch director-general of New Netherland. According to the legend, Stuyvesant's ghost grew displeased with the disturbances to his peace after the city grew around the church. The legend of the bell: In 1865, a sexton reportedly encountered Stuyvesant's ghost and was chased through the church. The church bell mysteriously began to toll at night, waking townspeople, who found the sexton terrified. Apparitions and unusual bell ringing: Accounts of supernatural activity continue to be reported, including ghostly apparitions, the persistent legend of Stuyvesant's spirit, and mysterious bell tolls. The church was built on the site of Stuyvesant's family chapel and the family's burial ground, adding to the intrigue of his restless spirit.